From LGBTQ Nation: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/transgender-rights-are-not-about-men-wanting-to-go-into-womens-restrooms/
Daniel J. O’Donnell
Sunday, May 5, 2013
I had to speak up.
During the lengthy debate in the State Assembly last week about New York’s Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), I hadn’t planned to comment and had hoped for a fast, uneventful end to the repetitive discussion.
The need for the bill, which would protect transgender New Yorkers from discrimination (in employment, housing, and education, etc.), has long been recognized by the State Assembly as a whole, and shortly following the debate on April 30, we passed it for the sixth consecutive year.
However, after hours of listening to right-wing members of the Assembly rail about the dangers this legislation would bring to residents of our state, I couldn’t take any more ignorance and pushed my call-button to speak.
As you can see in the video (below) of my short statement, I was fed up.
New York State’s transgender residents have suffered severe discrimination, harassment, and even violence. But, listening to the general debate, you would think the only thing this bill did was allow men to go into women’s bathrooms and showers.
As is the case every time GENDA comes up for a vote (or even just discussion), some argued that this would endanger women’s safety in bathrooms, with men who are not actually transgender claiming to be women just to invade women’s private spaces.
Continue reading at: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/05/transgender-rights-are-not-about-men-wanting-to-go-into-womens-restrooms/
